Biographical Information

Occupation, Sphere of Activity

John Robison studied at the University of Glasgow where he graduated
Master of Arts in
1756. Following a trip to
London in
1758 Robison went to London,
and a year later he became the tutor to the son of Admiral Knowles who he
accompanied to Quebec. In Canada Robison was employed to make surveys of the St
Lawrence and neighbouring country. Upon his return to England in
1762 Robison was appointed
by the board of longitude to travel to Jamaica on a trial voyage to take charge
of the chronometer completed by the horologist John Harrison (1693-1776).

Once back in this country Robison proceeded to Glasgow where he met
up with the engineer James Watt, who at that stage was mathematical instrument
maker to the university. In
1766 Robison was appointed
lecturer of chemistry at the University of Glasgow, following the
recommendation of Joseph Black. In
1770 upon the appointment of
Admiral Knowles as president of the Russian board of admiralty Robison
accompanied him to St Petersburg as private secretary. Two years later he was
offered the chair of mathematics attached to the imperial sea cadet corps of
nobles at St Petersburg, with the rank of colonel.

Bolstered in no smalI amount by the support of William Cullen and
Joseph Black, Robison became professor of natural philosophy at the University
of Edinburgh in
1773. He lectured on the
following subjects: hydrodynamics, astronomy and optics as well as electricity
and magnetism. In
1783 Robison was
elected the general secretary of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, a position
that he occupied until within a few years of his death. In
1799 he published the
lectures of Joseph Black.

Relationships

no information available

Other Significant Information

Notable publications:

Outlines of a Course of Lectures on Mechanical
Philosophy, (1797)

Elements of Mechanical Philosophy, (
1804)

A System of Mechanical Philosophy with Notes by David
Brewster, (1822)

Honours, Qualifications and Appointments

1783: Appointed
First General Secretary, Royal Society of Edinburgh

1898: Awarded Honorary
Doctor of Laws (LLD)

Notes

List of sources for the biographical information:

Dictionary of National Biography,
Vol. XVIII, (University of
Edinburgh,London1909)